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Hot Air Ballooning Sri Lanka Excursion, Sri Lanka

Discover the ancient kingdoms and national parks in style. Hot air ballooning is now available in Sri Lanka. Fly high above the ruined cities of ancient kingdoms, sail over national parks to watch the wild undisturbed, glide through the morning mist rising from tropical forests and watch the sun sink slowly into the Indian Ocean.

travelSrilanka.co.uk has joined forces with Adventure Centre Asia, the leading balloon operator in the island. They a professional organisation with years of experience in the field having operated throughout the Asia region.

Ballooning trips are available daily throughout season from October to May when the winds are light and the sky at its bluest. A typical trip would start at dawn and last for approximately one hour. A support vehicle will follow the flight and a champagne breakfast will be organized at the landing site.

While flights are sometimes available in other areas of the island on a request basis, especially for larger groups, the main balloon centre is in the cultural triangle and the majority of flights take-off from close to the Kandalama Hotel just outside Dambulla.

Further details

The hot Air balloon flights are packages as a total travel experience that takes approximately four hours. You will be collected from your hotel and will be taken to the launch site to witness (or participate in if you're interested) the preparation and inflation of the balloon. A flight briefing follows with the pilot and then its take-off. A support vehicle will track the path of the balloon and follow with a champagne breakfast for you when you land. The flight will begin around dawn and the exact meeting time varies according to the prevailing winds. The day prior to the flight you will be called at your hotel to reconfirm arrangements.

Season: October to April

Cost: USD$220 per person (discounts available for SL nationals, children and groups)

Excursions of the ancient-cities Region, Sri Lanka

Anuradhapura ancient city in Sri Lanka is a magical place. Anuradhapura features some of the most ancient archaeological treasures in Sri Lanka dating back to the 4th century BC. It is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites that must be missed.

Polonnaruwa ancient city remains one of the best planned archaeological relic sites in the country, standing testimony to the discipline and greatness of the Kingdom's first rulers. The ancient city of Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress is another fascinating World Heritage site dating back to the 5th century which was once a stronghold for a king who sought refuge. It remains on a 200 meter high rock with magnificent views of the surrounding jungle.

Mihintale is a sacred mountain peak considered to be the location where Buddhism was first introduced to the island of Sri Lanka. The mountain peak is approached by a grand stairway of 1840 granite steps.

Dominated by the ancient Minneriya Tank, Minneriya National Park has plenty of scrub and light forest in its 8890 hectares to provide shelter for its toque macaques, sambar deer, leopards and elephants – to name a few.

Sri Lanka is one of the top five gem-bearing nations in the world. The long-established gem mining area in Sri Lanka is Rathnapura, also known as the City of Gems. In between rich greenery and paddy fields, you will see locals gem mining.